This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1856 edition. Excerpt: ...of the important Russian province of the same name. It contains a stationary population of 25, o00 persons, besides a vast number of strangers constantly passing through; for it is the grand entrepot of trade for the interior of the empire. The city is built on a steep hill 4(X) feet high. safely, and proceeded at once to St. Petersburg in the carriage of a merchant, a friend of Mademoiselle de S. Her journey to the capital was not marked by any very striking circumstance. She reached it about the middle of February, nearly eighteen months after her departure from Siberia. Prascovie lodged for a time at the house of the merchant with whom she traveled, as she experienced some diflieulty in finding out the residences of two ladies to whom she had letters of introduction-one, the Princess de T, an aged and benevolent lady; and the other, Madame de Li. Unfortunately, they both resided at Wassili-Ostrow, on the other side of the Neva. This river was frozen over, but the ice was on the point of breaking up; and from the dangers always dreaded from a rapid thaw, the police forbade any one to cross it. In this strait, she was advised by the merchant at whose house she staid to get a lawyer to draw up a petition to the senate, praying a revision of her father's sentence. This was done; and Prascovie went to deliver it in person. She reached the senate-house, and penetrated to one of the oflices, trembling all the while, through finding herself for the first time among such a crowd of men. She presented her petition to one of the secretaries, who, glancing at it coldly, and per ceiving it was ill-worded and informal, returned it without speaking a word. Presently an old soldier, who acted as door-keeper, came up to her, and supposing she was...